Which way would you go?
Godly character quality #7 is: Discernment vs. Judgement: The God-given ability to understand why things happen. - 1 Samuel 16:7
Do you make the right judgements? Are there right judgements? Well, we all know there are right and wrong judgements, but where should we look to find the standard of right vs. wrong? The answer is most likely laying right on your coffee table or your nightstand: the Bible.
The Bible is our God given manual for life. All the answers are in there, and its your job to study it and find the answers that you need.
This wouldn't be a post about judgement without my favorite Bible quote ever: "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take that speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." - Matthew 7:3
That passage has just spoken to me ever since I first read it. I used to be just SO judgemental, and frankly, I still am. That is definitely one of my major character flaws, and though I'm still struggling, I've gotten so much better! I'm never mean about it, you know, and I wouldn't ever dream of walking up to someone and saying, " Your so ugly!" In fact, I don't even think like that anymore because I've prayed and realized it is just plain WRONG. I still think those little judgements in my head (as does everyone!), but I try not to let them affect my relationship with people.
Nobody's perfect. Everyone has their flaws and so we work together to overcome them. I'm so embarrassed to say that I went through a period (at least a year and a half long) where I hated people who wore a certain brand of clothing. I mean, my cousin and I, who had been very close, became enemies. I hated her! I'm so ashamed of myself for my actions during this period of my life. It was the most petty reason to hate someone I can think of, and yet I did for a long long time. That is, until one day when I just told myself, " that's enough. I don't hate my cousin, and I never really did. I love her and look up to her. I could care less what BRAND OF CLOTHING people wear. I'm done judging them for it." and you know what? I am. I honestly have not judged another person for this reason since.
Then comes the hardest part: asking for forgiveness. As challenging as it was, and as pathetic I felt, I knew I just HAD to do it. So I pushed my fingers to type the words, signed my name, and sent the e-mail to my cousin asking for her forgiveness for the way I have treated her. I was terrified that she wouldn't forgive me, and I was tortured by the though of what she would reply back with, but my cousin, the sweet girl she is, just forgave me. We had both done some wrong (me most of it!) and so we just wiped the slate clean. Today it's like nothing ever happened.
That was probably one of weakest times of my life. Satan offered up a shallow opportunity for judgement and I accepted. I could never feel truly happy during that time because I was not right with the Lord. Then, when my faith in that judgement was wavering, Satan gave me an ultimatum. He said to me, " do you wish to keep following me and hating your cousin for the beautiful (inside and out!) person she is or do you wish to follow the Lord?" My answer is obvious. Now that I think about it, right about that time was when I began studying the Bible, praying, and discovering the true me.
I never had any inclination that all of that was connected, but I now understand that it so was. In fact, that was when I was saved. Salvation is such a wonderful thing. For this reason, Discernment is the most important character quality to me.
You see, we don't always know which way is right and which way is wrong. You've heard my story. When I decided to make the judgement I made, I really didn't know it was so wrong. I had never studied the Bible before that time, so I had not been impacted by God's wisdom yet.
To wrap it all up, I must say this: Everyone has their own personal flaws and struggles. Even you. Sometimes your flaws can be even greater than you could have imagined. You are by no means perfect, so don't hold other people up to unrealistically perfect standards. For whatever you are wanting to judge them for, you probably have something much worse. It may not be obvious to you, but it's there. Learn to stop nit-picking and look beyond others to see your true self. It may not be a pretty sight, but in time, time spent in a holy way, you can make it one. Understand yourself first, or you will never understand others!
The Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would like to be treated!
God Bless,
Sydney
P.S: What does discernment/ judgement mean to YOU?
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